


Kickin' It, Slums Style (FFVII Remake One Shots)

by SilverKnightKaden



Series: Final Fantasy Fics [1]
Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28648824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKnightKaden/pseuds/SilverKnightKaden
Summary: As the title suggests, female reader one shots based in the FFVII remake (and maybe some of the other FFVII titles)! This will probably be majority Cloud, Reno, and Biggs due to severe favoritism, but I will try to write for many of the characters!I've finished the remake and am working on playing through the whole original game (might take some time) as well as the english fan-made version of Before Crisis (I don't know how long the game is so I can't say when I should be done with it). Might even get crazy and make some stories that take place during Before Crisis, who knows?
Relationships: Biggs (Compilation of FFVII)/Reader, Cloud Strife/Reader, Reno (Compilation of FFVII)/Reader, Wedge (Compilation of FFVII)/Reader
Series: Final Fantasy Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106048
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Cloud - Hey, the big artiste...

**Author's Note:**

> Me: ahaha maybe i shouldn't start so many new projects bc ive got depression and anxiety and im a procrastinator and the new semester is about to start and
> 
> Me: ahaha pretty final fantasy boys 😍
> 
> Also i am completely unashamed to admit that the chapter titles will likely all be hadestown references

There was never any back-breaking work to be done in her chosen field. She never had boxes of supplies to carry from one place to another. She didn't have to break bricks or saw through wood. Hell, she didn't even have to deliver to her clients the majority of the time! There was nothing physically straining or laborious in her profession.

So...why did Aerith keep telling Cloud she needed his help?

Of course, she appreciated it in some ways. He was very nice to look at, with eyes that glimmered with mako and stories of his past, hair that wafted in the wind and was colored like a star. The mercenary wasn't much of a conversationalist, but he never once told her to stop talking or ignored her when she spoke. While talking wasn't really his forte, she could tell he was making an effort to listen, to observe the people around him and provide support through ways that didn't involve him stepping too far past the boundaries of his comfort zone. He was attempting to change a trait that he'd lived with for quite a long time, and his efforts were appreciated.

Despite being nice company, the girl had always struggled to find reasons to make him stay. She didn't want to tell him what Aerith was doing, but she also couldn't think of any tasks that she couldn't handle. Usually, she would hound him for input on work that she had done and ask him to carry the finished products for a home delivery. He occasionally made attempts to deny her pay, but the artist had, in all honesty, found his help invaluable to her work and wanted to pay him accordingly. Cloud would sigh and retract his hand, now full of gil, and turn off toward Aerith's home.

Today was just another working day. Well, _every day_ was a working day for the young artist. She set up a new canvas, one that was almost completely untouched where she'd found it amongst some rubble, and got to work. It was, admittedly, quite difficult to make a career as an artist in the slums. Many residents could hardly afford their own houses, let alone paintings to decorate them. She had considered, many times, trying her luck at going topside, but...the plates always felt like a completely different world to her. There were car horns and engines, loud factories and reactors, not to mention asshole Shinra workers. Even without those factors, it had always been offputting to hear how people living on the plates would refer to those who couldn't afford it. On my very rare deliveries to people living up top, she had been called "slum scum," "slum slut," and a whole other slew of demeaning terms that made her decide that a poor man's life surrounded by friends was better than a rich man's life surrounded by assholes.

There was a knock on the girl's door, just as she had begun her first brush stroke. She half-shouted, "Come in," keeping her focus on the canvas before me and making slow movements to ensure her hand wouldn't stray. The rusted hinges of the old front door betrayed the entrance of somebody, familiar footfalls approaching her cautiously after shutting the door. "Welcome back, Cloud. Aerith send you?"

It was quiet for a moment, but it was always pretty quiet with Cloud. He was a man of few words, and most of the words he knew seemed to be swears or curses. "No, she didn't." His reply startled her almost enough to make her hand move, but she managed to keep it still.

"O-Oh, really? Then...did you need something?"

"...No..."

"Ah...okay..."

Silence fell over the pair once more as the artist continued to work, dipping into her paint and trying not to panic under the scrutiny. She could feel his eyes on her, shifting occasionally from the side of her face to where her hand moved across the canvas. He wasn't touching her, but he stood a little closer to her than he normally did. The working girl sighed internally, resigning herself to working under close inspection while he was there.

It didn't take long for a familiar pain to twinge in the girl's fingers. She pulled her hand away from the canvas quickly to keep her now twitching fingers from ruining the hard work. The paintbrush was placed into a nearby cup of water and she pulled her hand to her chest.

"You alright?" Cloud asked, taking a another step closer to try and see what was wrong.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," she responded, turning to show him the hand. "I just...I got a hand cramp is all. They usually don't last long, I'll just take a little break, I guess."

She was about to make my way to the kitchen and offer him lunch, but a hand outstretched in her direction stopped her short. Cloud held his hand out to her, palm up, and met her gaze.

"Um..."

"Let me see it."

"W...What?"

"Your hand. Let me look at it."

"Oh, right, yeah."

The girl placed her pained hand in his own, his gloved fingers gently wrapping around hers. He lightly pulled her hand toward him, causing the girl to take another step forward so she could keep her hand in his comfortably. Her hand was turned over and thoroughly examined by his gorgeous eyes, which scanned every inch of the palm with furrowed brows.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" The question didn't even register for a moment. This was the most physical and verbal contact she'd ever had with Cloud, and it was a bit overhwelming. Perhaps a bt exhilarating, too.

"I...I mean, I have a bit of work to do, but...other than that, I'm free? I guess?"

He nodded as if answering the confused girl's own unspoken question, which were flying through her brain rapidly. "I'll take you to Wall Market tomorrow. There's a place that offers hand massages." He continued to look over her hand, but he stopped speaking, as if coming to a complete conclusion and making a decision all on his own.

"Uh...W-Wait, I don't really have the money for Wall Market, I don't think I-"

"I'll pay."

"Cloud, I can't ask that of you-"

"You didn't ask. I offered."

Finally, he turned his gaze from her hand, light green eyes that almost seemed to glow like fresh leaves under the morning sun meeting her own in a firm stare. Although his examination of her hand was complete, he still held it close to him, almost seeming to pull it toward his chest.

"I know you don't ask Aerith to send me," he told me, making the girl feel somewhat sheepish and embarrassed. "Even when I don't do anything, you pay me. Let me do this in return."

"Hah...never took you to be so forward like this."

His cheeks flushed a little and his gaze shifted. All at once, she missed the feeling of his eyes focusing only on her, vain as it may have sounded. "I just don't like being in debt to someone."

"Debt? Cloud, you don't owe me anything."

"Then...Then let me do this as your friend."

Oh. That.

He took her hand in both of his, still entirely avoiding looking st her, even though his words were solid and his offer was out there. His jaw clenched, emphasizing the handsome shape of his jawline and overall facial structure. Cloud really was a beautiful man.

"Yeah...alright. Friends do nice things for each other," she told him, managing a smile. Cloud had never called her his friend before, and the childlike joy that came from his words had been very evident in her tone. He looked at the girl again, more than a little shocked to see how wide she was smiling at his admittance. "But if I agree, you can't complain when I do nice things for you, okay?"

His lips parted, as if to deny her, but she took the hand that was free and placed a finger to his lips.

"Cloud...it's what friends do for one another. And I...I would really like to be your friend, if you'd let me."

She dropped her hands, both of them, to her sides, looking down at her shoes in embarrassment. The artist wondered how silly she must've looked, arms planted at her sides and head angled downwards. Did it seem like she was bowing to him?

"Sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Overcome with emotion, she took two steps forward to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug. He stumbled for a moment, likely caught off guard and confused by her actions, but awkwardly placed his hands on her back soon after. One of his hands patted her back in an unsure manner and the girl laughed, removing herself from his neck and stepping back once more.

"Alright, so I'll set aside some time tomorrow for heading to the Wall Market. I'll see you then?"

The mercenary nodded, turning to leave her home. She didn't hear his footsteps stop just short of her door, nor did she see him hesitate for a moment, sending a look over to where she had set to examining the work she had done. He shook his head, stepping outside and softly closing the door behind him.


	2. Biggs - Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so i JUST finished the game and like....holy shit....i mean i ALREADY had a crush on cloud and reno after watching advent children, but the game like SOLIDIFIED those and now im completely in love with almost every character sjxbsjdj except now ive got crushes on MORE characters and i just hhgdhdhxhx wow what a beautiful game

_It was dark out, but then again it was always dark in the slums. Even the sun lamps weren't enough to make the shadows lighter. Usually, on such dark and quiet nights, the people of the Sector 7 Slums would be at home, fast asleep so they could work another long day starting the next morning._

_Instead, on this particular night, the people of the slums were rushing through the streets, crying in fear and calling out for loved ones to run to safety. Mind numbing chatter and the pounding of countless feet echoed in everyone's ears, almost drowning out the sound of explosions and gunshots at the pillar._

_The steel sky was completely dark, save for the light of fire and bullets that threatened to destroy everything these people had._

_It was all the young girl could do to keep herself from crying, too. She ushered people around buildings, searching for any and all signs of life. As far as she could tell, nearly every person in the slums had been evacuated, the only people behind being those who were too old or injured to run. She aided them to the best of her ability, guiding them down paths and leaving them with Marle as her mind wandered to someone else. Someone who had run off in the opposite direction of the way out, instead opting to climb the pillar and try to keep Shinra from destroying it._

_Without even realizing it, she took a wrong turn down the next part of her 'patrol,' racing past all those familiar homes and shops and narrowly avoiding crashing into people along the way. Many of them shouted to her, called out to say she was going the wrong way, but her feet didn't stop until a she came up to gate. On the other side were three people, two of whom she recognized after crawling under a broken part of the fence. Tifa called out her name in shock, causing Wedge and the brunette with them to turn their heads toward her._

_"What are you doing?" Tifa reprimanded, turning back to face Wedge and help him sit up. "You sh-"_

_"Where is Biggs?"_

_Both Tifa and Wedge tensed at her question, avoiding her gaze at any cost. Tifa busied herself with searching Wedge's body for more wounds as the brunette girl locked eyes with the gunslinger._

_"Cloud went up the pillar," said the soft-spoken girl with a firm gaze. "If the person you're looking for is up there, Cloud might know where they are."_

_"Thank you." She lightly bowed her head in response as the girl continued toward the pillar, ignoring Tifa's attempts to stop her. No more than two flights up, she had dashed up behind her and took a hold of her arm. "Tifa, listen, I'm not-"_

_"Just let me come with you," Tifa said, finally meeting her eyes. "Please. I'm...I'm worried about them, too, so...let's go together okay?"_

_The girl's jaw clenched at this, though she nodded in response. The fighter released her arm and took a step forward, glancing back in an attempt to see if she was following. When her feet began to move, they both took off running, not wasting even a moment in their haste to help everyone._

_A few flights up, their path was blocked by a group of Shinra fighters and machines of all sorts. Slug-rays, shock troopers, grenadier and others were gathered on the floor, either to search for people already on the pillar or to keep people from coming up. Tifa raised her fists and took a step forward as the other pulled the revolver from her belt, taking aim at the nearest of the bots and hitting its processor. It didn't completely destroy it, but the thing began to malfunction and spark as everyone else on the floor took notice at the sound of a gunshot._

_Tifa dashed ahead of me, running up to ram her left fist into the grenadier's face. As he reeled from it, the other girl aimed a bullet as close to his chest as possible. Seconds later, he collapsed to the floor and didn't move._

_The busted slug-ray zoomed toward her faster than she thought it would be able to move. The sparks around it burned against her skin as the machine brutishly rammed into her stomach. She took a step back, hitting a metal container with she back as the machine reared back. When it made to headbutt her again, she kicked it as swiftly as she could, effectively sending it flying off the side of the railing as the sound of another person hitting the ground came from Tifa's direction._

_"Get down!" the shooter called out as her eyes were pulled in the fistfighter's direction. In time with her shout, Tifa wordlessly went into a crouch as the other girl took aim at the shock trooper who had attempted to sneak up behind her. Before he could make any attack, she placed a bullet in the center of his stomach, the same spot that Tifa immediately kicked after she rose back to her feet._

_"Thanks," Tifa told her as they moved toward the next set of stairs, leaving a mess of bodies and machinery on the metal floor._

_"Don't mention it," the girl replied, not even bothering to holster her gun as they continued to run toward the top floor._

_It wasn't long before they ran into Cloud. The mercenary was at the center of the pillar, talking to someone who had been injured and leaned against the railing. The injured man's head tilted in her direction when she shouted his name and began to race to his side. Cloud glanced up at the gunslinger, before shifting Biggs' weight onto her instead of himself._

_"Take care of him," he told her, moving to stand and make his way toward the next set of stairs with Tifa._

_Her eyes fell back to Biggs, who gave her a pained smile. "What's up, gorgeous?" he teased, though it was obvious that even just talking was nearly too painful for him. There was suddenly a gentle noise in the background, and he assumed it was his ears ringing from all the gunfire when the girl didn't seem to notice it._

_"Don't talk," the girl spoke quietly, pulling him closer to her and moving her eyes up and down his body to search for whatever was making the slowly growing pool of blood beneath him._

_"At least...take me on a date...before checking me out," the man groaned out, gripping his side opposite to her. Without responding to his comment, she reached across his stomach to remove his hand, gasping and tearing up at the sight. There was a huge gash along his side, almost parallel with his spine, starting at mid-chest height and ending just above the waist of his pants._

_"...I...We..." She couldn't find any words. What do you say in that situation? How could she look at someone, knowing fully well that he would likely die within the next hour, and tell him that he would be fine? But of course, what else could she say? Was it better to tell him the truth, or to give him false hope of surviving?_

_"It's...okay," Biggs breathed out, taking her hand from his side and placing it in his own, even though each movement ached more than the last. "Hey...don't...don't look at it..."_

_"Biggs...I need to get you out of here." The girl leaned him against the rail and made to stand up, but the injured man shook his head._

_"It's okay...really." She met his gaze, sinking onto her knees beside him as he gave her a smile. "At least...I can see you...one last time...yeah?" The humming grew louder, as if the source of the sound was closer than before, still unable to determine what the sound really was._

_"No. No, this isn't the last time, okay?" The tears in her eyes began to spill, streaking a path down her cheeks through the dirt and blood that had gathered. "I'm gonna get you out of here, okay? Let's go."_

_Despite his protests, she stood up to her full height, taking only a moment's time to wipe the tears away from her face. "Alright...Okay, let's go." She bent at the waist to help him raise up to his feet, wrapping his arm around her shoulder so he could rest his weight on her. "C'mon..."_

Pain. All he could feel as he came to was the burning pain in his side and the way his whole body ached. He couldn't bring himself to move, knowing that any attempts would probably make his injuries reopen.

A sound to his right pulled him from his agony, his eyes shifting across the unfamiliar room to land on a girl. Her back was to him and she was peeking around the curtains of the window, talking softly as she did so. Biggs couldn't make out any of the words she said, but the sound of her voice made his muscles relax, his breathing beginning to even out as he looked at her and thanked any Gods that were listening for keeping her safe.

She laughed at something, though he wasn't sure what, and closed the curtain. Her head turned in his direction and her feet made way toward the bed he was on. The sound of her voice came to a halt when she looked up at him.

Their eyes locked onto each other silently, neither knowing what to say or how to express what they were feeling in the suddenly hushed room. He saw her chest shake a bit, then was startled when a small sob escaped her as she stepped closer. In the span of seconds, she had approached and wrapped her arms around him, placing her face into his chest as her shoulders shook. Though it pained him to do so, he put his arms around her waist and secured her against him, allowing her to pour everything out before him.

"I was so worried," she sniffed once her crying had slowed a bit. "You weren't waking up or responding to anything for days. I didn't...I thought..." She bit back the rest of her sentence, trying not to make herself cry anymore than she already had. Instead, she buried her face further into his chest and attempted to calm herself down as one of his hands gently rubbed her back.

When she was able to, she forced herself to stand up straight, taking his arms from her and carefully placing them at his sides. She ignored the feeling of his eyes on her as she sniffed and gave him a half smile. "Why don't I...make us something to eat? Are you hungry?"

As if on cue, Biggs felt a familiar pang in his gut, the same one he felt whenever he pulled all-nighters to plan ahead before missions and couldn't be bothered to make anything to eat. He gave her the slightest nod, returning her smile. "That'd be great."


	3. Wedge - Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IN THIS MOTHERFUCKING HOUSE WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE WEDGE!!!!! IF ANY OF YOU SAY A SINGLE MEAN THING ABOUT HIM I WILL!!!! CRY!!!!!!!!
> 
> I simply adore him and you cannot make me stop

"Shit!" The girl ducked her torso down as she ran, narrowly avoiding a bullet in the arm as she did so. Clutching the bag to her chest like a lifeline, she let her legs carry her through the maze-like halls of the building, unable to discern the echoed sound of her own footsteps from the booming boots following close behind her. The Shinra infantrymen shouted orders and yelled for her to surrender, but she only took a sharp left turn and tried to run faster.

Just down that hallway, in accordance with their plan, Jessie was leaning against a wall in as nonchalant of a pose as she could muster, though her gaze was pulled in the direction of running an shouting. She nodded at the approaching gunslinger, trading the bag she had been running with for an empty one of the same make, before the two of them went opposite ways. Sure, it wasn't the most complex or advanced of plans, but it was working so far.

It was considerably easier to run without the heavy contents of the dark blue bag, though she still ran like Hell in her best efforts to escape her pursuers. She couldn't hold back a relieved sigh as she finally found her designated exit.

Just outside was the back parking lot of the building, filled with cars, trucks, and all sorts of vehicles, all adorned with the familiar Shinra logo. She wove her way between the machines, eyes constantly scanning across the parking lot in search of her getaway vehicle.

There was a whisper-shout of her name that caused her head to snap to the left. Sure enough, Wedge was standing there next to a motorcycle, waving her down so she could get over to him. The girl gave another glance around the parking lot, then dashed past the other vehicles toward him.

"All set to go?" Wedge asked with a wide grin. She placed the bag around her shoulders securely and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good," she responded. "Let's get outta here."

"Roger that!"

Wedge put one leg over the motorcycle, leaning it a bit to make it easier for the girl to get on. One of her hands lightly grabbed his shoulder for stability as she threw her own leg over the bike. She secured her arms around his waist as he revved the engine. "Good to go?" He felt her nod against his back, and they were off like a rocket.

It was never easy, though. Not for Avalanche.

Soon enough, not long after Jessie and Biggs had caught up to them on their own bike, the sound of several engines roaring thundered around the domed train tracks. The girl loosened her grip just enough to turn and see multiple Shinra fighters rapidly approaching them.

"Jessie!" she called out, gaining the attention of the other girl. "Don't look now, but we're being tailed!"

There was a muffled curse on the other side of the tracks, presumably from Biggs, as the sound of engines behind them came closer. The girl released her arms from Wedge's waist, despite his immediate protests in concern for her safety. Instead, she grabbed the back of his suspenders with one hand and retrieved the revolver from her waist with the other. Simultaneously, there was the sound of gunshots from both escaping bikes, as Jessie had followed suit with her own gun.

"Shit!" the gunslinger yelled once more, dodging yet another bullet that would've severely injured her. "Can't this thing go any faster?!"

"It's at full throttle!" Wedge whined, though he felt similarly about the speed. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before their attackers caught up to them, and it would probably be too late to hope for escape if that happened.

"Damn it," the girl muttered to herself, racking her brain for some sort of solution as she aimed bullets at the tires behind them.

She wasn't a great planner, not in the way that Biggs was. That man was amazing at coming up with plans, fail-safes for those plans, and backup plans for their fail-safes, but she couldn't do anything like that. She wasn't as smart or energetic as Jessie was, nor was she as trustworthy and unwaveringly loyal like Wedge. No, she wasn't very good in those regards, but there was _one_ thing she really excelled at.

"Wedge! Biggs!" Her voice boomed across the subway tunnel, though she doubted it could be heard by their attackers over the sounds of their own vehicles and gunfire. "On my signal, I need you guys to get as close to the walls as possible, got it?!"

"What are you planning?" Biggs words held mild concern, even though he knew he would likely go along with whatever she said anyway.

"Just trust me!" At this, both men solemnly nodded and refocused themselves on the path ahead, though their ears remained tuned to her voice.

Her eyes, always searching for mischief, rose up to the ceiling. Wires and lights flew past her vision in an almost rhythmic way, occasionally interrupted by a fuse box. She kept her gaze locked on the ceiling, counting the seconds between each appearance of a fuse box until she felt confident enough in her position. There was no way she could risk losing her focus or her rhythm, so she pressed her knees around Wedge's sides as she released her grasp on him completely, even though he shouted for her to hold on for her own safety. Rather than do that, she continued to count the seconds in her head as she spun the cylinder of her revolver, lining up a green materia orb with the barrel of her gun. She steadied her arm as much as she could, taking aim at where she knew a fuse box would be in exactly six-point-three seconds.

She took a shallow breath in and held it. Three...two...

"Now!"

Her word was shouted in time with the ringing noise of a gunshot, which was followed by the screeching tires of two bikes as they neared the outside walls of the tunnel. The bullet, propelled and strengthened by her fire materia, caused the fuse box to explode as they whirred past, stopping the Shinra bikers behind them dead in their tracks. The small explosion from the fuse box granted them enough time to successfully escape the tunnel, where they ditched the bikes in a nearby trash pile just next to the Sector 7 Slums train station.

"That was incredible!" Jessie cooed, wrapping the gunslinger in her arms and tightly squeezing. "You totally showed them who's boss!"

Sure, the girl wasn't as smart as her friends, or as nice, or as cheerful. But she was really strong and resourceful where it counted.

And it totally helped that she kinda had a thing for destruction and explosions.

She was berated with praises and kind words as they walked toward the lights of their homes. One by one, they separated and entered their homes, until Wedge walked the gunslinger to her own home.

"That really was impressive!" he complimented the girl, who shyly laughed in response.

"Please, it wasn't that special," she responded, turning her face away to hide her embarrassment.

Wedge shook his head, continuing his kind words. "I thought it was super cool! I mean, I was _super_ worried about those Shinra guys when they showed up, but I knew you would do something amazing when you told us you had a plan! You totally saved all our butts back there!"

The girl's head drooped as she was hit with compliment after heart-fluttering compliment. "I...I thought you were pretty cool, too," she admitted quietly. "I don't even know _how_ to drive a motorcycle, but you're really great at it!"

"Ah, c'mon, that's nothing compared to how awesome you were!"

She raised an eyebrow, laughing once he began to shower her with praises once more. His words stopped, though, when she stepped forward and placed her lips to his cheek.

"You're too sweet to me," she said as she pulled away, taking a step into the opened doorway of her house. "Good night, Wedge."

The door softly closed in front of him, though he remained in his place with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. What...? WHAT?! Why would she kiss him?! Like, what?!?!

His brain went into auto pilot as he did the only thing he could think of - he turned around and walked in a love struck and drunk-like haze to Biggs' house, where the other man stood and swept his porch, or whatever he passed as a porch. At sound of approaching footsteps, Biggs turned around and prepared to greet Wedge, but stopped short at the expression on his face.

"Hey, man, you alright?" Biggs asked, setting his broom aside and stepping closer to his friend. "You look like you caught some weird bug or-"

Wedge placed his hands on the other man's shoulders in a firm grip. "Biggs," he started, cutting him off, "she _kissed_ me."

The shorter man's eyebrows raised at this. "She? She who?" When Wedge spoke her name, Biggs seemed almost more surprised. "Really? She did?"

"Yeah, bro," Wedge replied, "she called me sweet and then kissed my cheek and then closed the door WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BIGGS?!"

"Hey, calm down, man!" Biggs pulled himself from Wedge's grasp, as the bigger man had started to shake him by the shoulders. "It probably means she likes you!"

"..." ...Huh...? The possibility was there, sure...but she hadn't ever expressed interest in him before, had she? "Um..."

The shorter man sighed, shaking his head with a hand to his temples, before looking to his friend. "Do you like her? Like, actually like her?" Embarrassed by the question, Wedge only responded with a nod. "Then just tell her. If she kissed you, that means she probably likes you, too."

"How do I tell her?" In that moment, Wedge truly looked like a lost and lonely puppy, abandoned in a cardboard box on the side of the road in the pouring rain. He hadn't ever confessed to anyone before! No, he was more in the business of pretending he didn't like them so he wouldn't be forced to confront his feelings and make himself vulnerable. Still, if what Biggs said was true...if she really did like him, too... "I don't know what to say to her, man..."

"Buy her a gift," Biggs suggested. "Something small, like uh..." He raised a hand to his chin in thought, but Wedge intervened before he could speak again.

"Flowers!" he said, with all the grandeur and joy of a revelation. "She said the other day that she liked flowers! Maybe a bouquet would be a good gift?"

"Totally!" his friend agreed, grinning up to him. "I'm sure there's a shop somewhere on the plate that sells flowers! You should go up there tomorrow and buy her some!"

Well...it was now 'tomorrow,' and Wedge was stood a few feet away from a small booth on the Sector 5 Plate. This particular street was for vendors who either couldn't buy a shop or were from the slums, and he had spotted a booth adorned with a flower logo and knew he found the right place. The only trouble was that he didn't actually know anything about flowers. What kind was he supposed to get? What kind was best for something like this? Did she have a favorite flower? Maybe he could buy a bouquet in her favorite color?

"Um...sir?" asked the girl wearing pink on the other side of the booth, snapping Wedge from his daze. "Do you need help?"

All at once, all of his nervousness and embarrassment returned to him. "Um...I...Uh..."

The girl bit her lip, but she couldn't hold back a giggle. "Okay, let me guess...You want a bouquet for someone you like?"

"...It that obvious...?" he sighed, head drooping in defeat. The flower girl giggled once more.

"Kind of," she admitted, picking up a small, wicker basket. "You had this really focused look on your face, like you were trying super hard to decided what to buy. Are you confessing to someone?" When Wedge nodded, she turned to the baskets of flowers behind the 'counter,' humming in thought before reaching up to grab small handfuls of flowers.

"These ones are bellflowers," she explained kindly as she placed a few of the now named blooms into the little basket. "They represent unwavering love." Though Wedge felt his cheeks flame at her flippant used of the word 'love,' he continued to listen. "These cloves represent undying love, and these primroses do, too!" She placed a few of each flower into the basket as she explained, lastly reaching up to gran a single, white bloom. "And this is a gardenia. It represents sweet love, but it's also a symbol for good luck!"

With the small basket now filled with flowers, the vendor turned to Wedge with a kind smile. "Here." She reached out to place the basket in his hands.

"H-How much do I owe you?"

She shook her head, pressing a finger to her lips. "It's on the house," she told him, cutting off his protests with a shake of her head. "Go on, shoo! You've got someone you need to woo!"

On the train ride back to the slums, Wedge did everything in his power not to look at the blossoms he held. He didn't want to think too much about what he was planning to do, because he knew he'd chicken out if he thouhbt about it. Instead, he tried to think about his cats, the lovable strays that he adored so much. Though generally very independent and protective, he found that many of the stray felines in the slums took a quick shine to him. He would hold out his hand, sometimes with a treat, and wait for the cat to approach him first. He would scratch behind its ears and smooth his hand over the fur on its back, then he'd turn toward the girl behind him and offer for her to do the same.

...Shit.

He was glad that it was both late at night and a weekday, which meant most other people would be at home by now. At the very least, he was quite sure that no one else would be around to witness his embarrassment or the way he would almost _definitively_ stutter out every other word.

The wood of her door was cold against his knuckles when he knocked, reminding him of the changing seasons. Even under the plate and direct heat from sun lamps, the air was growing colder with each passing day, and he wondered about how she must've been freezing during their motorcycle ride the previous night. As the door opened, he hid the basket behind his back with one arm.

"Oh, Wedge!" the gunslinger greeted once she opened the door. "What brings you out here so late? I didn't think-"

Limbs stiff due to nerves, Wedge robotically moved the arm from behind his back and presented the basket of flowers to her, watching as the words died on her tongue and her eyes went soft at the sight. He saw her shoulders relax and a smile cross her face. "What is this?" she asked in a much quieter, softer tone that Wedge had rarely ever heard before.

"...For you," he hardly managed to say, holding his arms out toward her and turning his head to avoid her gaze. "The, uh...the bellflowers m-mean u-undying love...I think...a-and the cloves are for-"

He could no longer speak, as the girl had stepped forward and taken the handle of the basket in one hand, the other finding his cheek, the same one she had kissed the other night, so she could turn him to face her as she planted her lips against his.

Wedge had never been kissed before...it was a little embarrassing for him, really. He didn't know how to respond, so he kind of just stood there dumbly. After half a moment, his eyes closed and his hands found purchase at her waist, though she had to move away for a breath soon after.

"I know what the flowers mean," she teased the blushing man, still smiling despite her breathlessness. "Is...Is this, like...a confession?" Wedge nodded in response, eyes not leaving hers for a moment, even as turned away to hide the huge smile on her face. "Then I accept it."

"...What?"

She giggled, gently pinching Wedge's cheeks with her thumb and index finger. "If this is your confession, then I accept it. I...really like you, Wedge." She laughed nervously, suddenly just as anxious and embarrassed as the man before her. "I guess it's kinda obvious, since I kissed you and all, but...um..." Her cheeks went warm and she shook her head. "I was just really surprised! And happy! So I'm sorry...for kissing you without permission."

The hands at her waist squeezed a little, causing her eyes to trail back up to where Wedge was smiling at her. "Y-You have my permission to do it again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell what my favorite fighter type is?? I just love the idea of like a revolver where the bullet chambers are actually materia slots and wjxhsjjdsj wowie
> 
> I dedicate this super long chapter to my baby boy wedge, i would die for him and none of you can stop meeee
> 
> Okay so there wasnt any existing wedge/reader tag for me to add to the story, so like.....i made one??? I guess that technically makes me the creator of the wedge/reader tag 0.0


	4. Reno - A Place Called 'Home'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I first watched Advent Children when I was quite young, younger than 10 I believe, but I remember being MADLY in love with Reno, even then! I'm def not obsessed with red haired anime dudes, I promise.....

Another day, another dirty job that left more blood on Reno's hands than the last. There wasn't much to be done about it - this was just about the only way he could have any sort of "job" anyway, so he wasn't really in a place to complain. It put cash in his pocket and, as far as he could tell, it had kept him alive and well.

There had been a recent surge of attacks on ShinRa facilities, likely too many to have not been coordinated. Even so, it seemed odd that none of the evidence pointed back to Avalanche like he had expected it to. He had assumed that at least one of the attacks must have been their doing, but all signs pointed to a seperate, probably larger group. Bigger guns, more manpower, and a far less sneaky approach all threw Avalanche off the drawing board.

He pressed his hand against his injured side. It wasn't anything too bad, probably a bruise from the guy carrying a bat, or maybe he got clipped by a bullet and hadn't noticed. Either way, there was a near rhythmic throb in Reno's side, a dull ache that certainly wasn't eased by his walking. Thankfully, his destination was only a few more feet away, and he was soon stood outside the front door, shuffling through his pocket for his key.

The little house, in one of the cheaper areas of Sector 5, smelled strongly of fresh bread and cookies, leaving him to wonder if she'd been baking again. She was always trying out new recipes and spent most of her day baking bread to be sold at a nearby mini-market. Reno had told her many times that she should save up and open a bakery of her own, though she usually responded by becoming flustered and insisting that she wasn't _that_ great of a baker. Reno disagreed.

As if summoned by the very thought of her, she appeared around a corner as the Turk closed their front door, making sure to lock it. "Oh, welcome home!" she greeted from the kitchen, smiling at the man as he stepped closer. "I made some bread and cookies, so you can...uh..." Her words trailed off as she looked at the hand pressed to his side. Reno watched her brow furrow and the corner of her lips tilt downwards a little. "You got hurt again?"

"It's nothing I can't handle, sweetheart."

"Reno..."

At her soft whisper of his name, even someone like Reno had to give in. With a sigh, he allowed her to pull him toward their room, sitting him on the bed as she retrieved the first aid kit from the bathroom. Reno didn't necessarily like the knowledge that _he_ was the reason she learned first aid, even though it made him happy to know that she cared enough to do it.

She set the lite white box on the bed next to him while he begrudgingly removed his shirt, tossing it into a corner of the room that she referred to as "The Shirt Graveyard." Whenever he came home injured, the stained and ripped clothes would be thrown into the corner, then thrown away if they were ruined beyond repair.

Reno watched as she moved his arm away to get a better look at his side, sucking in a breath at the sight of his injury. Blood tended to make her queasy, he'd noticed. He tried to tell her that he could do it himself, that she didn't have to worry about him, but she had already picked up a cotton swab lightly doused in alcohol. As gentle as she could, she began to clean and disinfect the wound, which he had realized was a cut of some sort due to the way it stung with every touch.

The injury was small enough that it only took the baker a littlee over a minute to get it cleaned. Satisfied with her work, she set the cotton ball aside and covered the injury with bandages, securing it to his side with medical tape.

The redhead had expected her to change the subject, maybe ask if he'd eaten dinner yet or even scold him for getting hurt again, but she remained silent. He watched as her eyes trailed over his bare torso, brows still furrowed and lips still pulled into a frown. Her eyes gazed over the scars he had accumulated over time, marring his light skin and jagged lines or round, bullet-shaped areas.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, he reached forward to hook his arms around her knees, pulling her close to his chest before laying on his back. "Usually, you're a little more excited to see me shirtless," he flirted, taking the light smile on her face as a small victory. She sat on his waist, still looking over his bare mid-section with that unhappy gleam in her eyes. "What's the matter?"

Warm fingers found their way to his chest, lightly tracing a scar that he couldn't remember the story for. "You're always getting hurt," she said simply, voice as soft as her touch. "I know it's your job and everything...it just worries me is all."

"What are you worrying about?" Reno placed his hand over the one on his chest, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze on her fingers. "I've come home every time I leave, haven't I?"

"I know, but..." She was still a moment, then shook her head. "No, you're right. It's your job." At last, she met his eyes with a simple smile, returning his gesture by gently squeezing his hand in her own. "You're strong enough to walk away from any fight, I'm sure."

"I'd never leave my girl waiting." She rolled her eyes, but he pulled her to his chest and laid out on his side before she could leave. The woman laughed at his actions, burying her face in his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. He could smell something sweet on her, maybe the scent of chocolate from her cookies. He could feel warmth radiating from her, leaving him feeling as though nothing existed out of their embrace. He could hear the little contented sigh that escaped her parted lips, followed by her further leaning into him as she relaxed.

"You know I'll always come back, right?"

He felt her breath hitch for a moment, almost as if she was caught off guard by it. Honestly, Reno would understand if she _was_ surprised by this, seeing as he usually wasn't the type to get sentimental, let alone be the one _initiating_ the sentiment. Still, she hummed and affirmative a moment later, letting him know he could continue.

"There's people out there that want to hurt Midgar," he went on, "people that want to hurt the citizens, people that want to hurt _you_. It's my job to stop those people before they can hurt you. I can handle a few cuts and bruises if it means keeping you safe." He pulled back from the embrace to meet her somewhat watery gaze head on. "I'd do anything to protect you, you know that? So I can handle injuries, I can deal with scars, just as long as you're here and you're safe, and I get to come home to you every day."

"I love you, Reno."

He smiled at the statement, watching her bury herself into his grasp once more. "Yeah...I love you too, sweetheart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ones a bit shorter, but i......i love the idea of reno being a badass when working and a sweet, soft, caring boyfriend once he gets hone

**Author's Note:**

> Aye this ones kinda shit but like.....here it is ig ksbxjexnnd i simply do not want to work on this chapter anymore khfdjxnnd


End file.
